I bought some whole cinnamon a while back

I looked up at the sky today and although I have never been to Wyoming or Montana the sky over my city was big and blanketed with white cotton-like clouds. It was like the whole cotton--the kind you have to tear apart to use--real cotton. I felt nice for a moment, just looking at the sky and feeling good. I'd like to feel that way most of the time instead of just moments out of a string of bad to worse days or simple ambivalence.

It seems sometimes the ambivalence is there only to break up the mostly sucky days and nights that have become my existence. Then again, maybe it's just winter doldrums. Heaven knows it's dark at four-thirty. Somebody ought to help me because I don't have the strength to help myself. I'm going to stop combing my hair until things get better for me. We'll see what happens then. (I really can't shake this cold!)

Trusted Tours and Attractions

It's wintertime in the Midwest so that means some of us are getting the itch to go someplace sunny, bright and warm.
Trusted Tours and Attractions offers discounted tickets to the best sightseeing tours in Key West, San Diego and Savannah. Travelers get to see attractions like the San Diego Zoo to city-wide excursions on their famous Old Town Trolley tours. Whatever you taste Trusted Tours is the source for great activities for your winter getaway.
If I had my druthers, I'd go to Key West, Florida. I've always wanted to visit the land of Hemmingway. I remember one summer in college I spent it reading all of the Hemmingway greats. This man made me want to go to Key West. He wrote about Spain too in the Bullfighter but I wanted to go to Key West. It seemed as if the fresh sea salted air inspired him to write. Since that summer of reading, I always said I would go there. Also since that summer of reading I have been to Florida several times but never got to drive all the down A1A (which turns into Federal Highway or Hwy 1 somehow) All of that lovely coastline and sunshine to enjoy in a convertable along with my favorite friends. What a lovely time indeed.
As far as tours there is the Shipwreck Historeum Museum of Key West, the Conch Tour Train Key West, the Old Town Trolley Tour of Key West and the Key West Aquarium. There are many more to choose from but those would be some of the first tours I would take.

Whatever happened to hankerchives?

I ran out of facial tissues yesterday and forgot to pick some up today but there was this rag in the car and I used it as a handkerchief. I had to my nose began to run really really bad and I didn't have enough tissue in my purse. It was used anyway.
However, I got to thinking about handkerchiefs. It's a lot greener than individual tissues because you can launder them and reuse them over and over again.
Where would I buy handkerchiefs? Are there any for women? Maybe I should use the men's handkerchiefs. I dunno. It felt strange blowing my nose into cloth. It just felt wrong.

100 Free Business Cards

I've been considering my blog these days. I need to improve my Google Page rank score and Alexa score and I was wondering how could I increase traffic to my site.
Then I ran a cross a site called Ooprint and "Business Card 2.0"
It's a way to attract new readers and network with other blogger. The cards allow me to present my url to everyone I meet--in person. They have a unique tag cloud that can be personalised to focus on key words that are important to me and my blog. The best part is that I get 100 FREE business cards to give to business owners, friends who aren't on the Web as much and anyone else I can get to visit my site.

Chicago Journalist John Drury dies at 80

Veteran Chicago journalist John Drury died in his home Sunday November 25 at the age of 80. He had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Drury was the face of WLS Channel 7 evening broadcast news for decades in Chicago. Drury retired in 2002 after 40 years as a news man. He won an additional Chicago Emmy in 2003 for his news report, "9/11/02 The New Homeland.
He was one of the great ones. Mr. Drury will be loved and missed by journalists everywhere, especially in Chicago.

Get hooked-up on line

I really like this site because it gives potential daters a
list of ideas for dates.
Horseback riding, snorkling, hiking and just enjoying one's
surroundings are all good ideas for a first getting-to-know you
first date. Datehookup.com provides a huge list of potential
matches for those who join to hook up with and find common
experiences.
Remember folks, this is a free dating site so it doesn't hurt to give it a try and find the special someone. I am still searching and will give it a couple of days at least. It takes time to find some one you match with to date.

Remember the less fortunate this holiday season

It would not hurt a bit to buy a toy for a child who comes from less fortunate circumstances. If you have to juggle too many things to donate consider skipping it this year but for those of you who have been blessed financially please donate to a charity that will see to it children who don't have much will have a really good toy for Christmas.
I'm sure it is what Princess Diana would have wanted you to do.
If you don't trust the charities, go to a local church and give nice toys with the understanding that they will be given to the neediest children. If that is still too much, go for yourself and buy nice toys--like the popular video games, laptops or sports equipment and drop them at the door of families deserving of a little help this season.
It certainly couldn't hurt anyone to do this and imagine the look of surprise and joy on the faces of these lucky children this holiday season.

Or go to these sites to donate.

AidPage

Doe.org

The Pertition Site

Food for the Poor

Read about the origin of Christmas

Origin of Christmas
It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter solstice—the return of the sun—and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect. Christmas developed, one scholar says, as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. The celebration of Christmas reached its peak—some would say its worst moments—in the medieval period when it became a time for conspicuous consumption and unequaled revelry.” (more)

AAMCO and Live Free Die Hard team up

By getting your car fixed right at AAMCO you can be part of the most spectacular, attitude-filled movie of the year.
Visit your local AAMCO service center to enter to win a four-day trip to Hollywood and a day with the Live Free or Die Hard Movie stuntman.
The prize includes round trip airfare and return airport transfers In Los Angeles with three nights At The Four Star Renaissance Hollywood Hotel for two people--including Breakfast and a 'Die Hard' Goody Bag.

It also includes a day with the stunt coordinator from Die Hard 4.0 for one person, comprehensive worldwide Ttravel insurance for two people and return transfers to location for stunt day. The Four Star Renaissance Hollywood Hotel is just steps from the Kodak Theatre, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and The Hollywood Walk of Fame.

A California get-a-way would be just great right now. I would get to lay around a luxury hotel, hang out with an acutal stunt man and ask all kinds of questions about the industry and star gaze, of course.

A trip out west would be nice for several reasons besides the warmth, I've never been to California. I have never been to a movie lot and I would like to see how the whole layout of the Hollywood moive industry is played out amongst the people.

Hey, Peter--I've said some things over the years...

I was taking a stroll down memory lane, looking at all of the blog posts I have made over the years. I have made some hella comments over the years. Here are some of the more shocking posts. I'm still in shock from some of the things I have written.

I'm Not Walking On Eggshells Anymore, Either!
Borrowing an old Isley song lyric, "...here we go again. Here we go again--I thought what we had was over..."
I just don't understand the outrage. It seems la haute societe and bourgeoisie are always outraged and surprized by the afflictions of the poor.
Except this time it is really horrifying.
It's real life.
Like yall didn't know folks could be poor down in the Bayou. (ain't no such thing as workin' roots either.)
Anyone following the Hurricane Katrina updates--please pay attention. These stories will not be retold. (more)

If You Get Me
Sometimes it's good to stop and think--do a little reflecting.
Measure what you're doing by reviewing your value structure. But
make sure you've established one.
A good value structure can keep you on the right track and out of
a lot of hot water.
Let's start with relationships. I don't have one.
I decided that I can only have a relationship with a man who gets
me. This is why I am alone.
But it's okay. I can do alone. I can't do nagging, worrying and
sour disposition. (more)

Why Do I Take It Personally?
I'm just a fan--only a fan. I wanted all of my favorite artists to win big at this year's Grammy Awards but they didn't. They just won. They won in their respective catagories. I wanted the big win because they seemed to want the big win.
But I got my own problems. The world of a celebrity is entertainment and relaxation for me. I'm not getting myself into trouble, getting pregnant, dating married or otherwise engaged men, annoying anyone blah, blah, blah.
And, these are just my stupid little opinions.
I bought the John Legend cd (even my seven year old son appreciates the calming tinkle of the piano--or he's just f***** with me), the Jamie Foxx cd and the Kanye West cd. West got some Hip Hop chops. He has lyrics. It's not just a rap style. (There is a difference between Hip Hop--as in culture and rap--a rhythmic style of word delivery).
If you caught the show Foxx and West put on, well, what else can be said? (more)


I Know Some Really (nice) People...
I Know Some Really nice People and They Act Like I don't Know.I don't want to have to write this blog but someone has to say it.And I'm only saying it because I really like you. Thank you for being so nice up but find some way to be humble.
Humility is God's gift to us. It prevents us from being insufferable know-it-all, pains-in-the-ass idiots to the rest of the human race.Humility stops other folks from disliking you.Humility brings knowledge and self discovery. I no longer avoid humbling experiences but welcome them. The single most important lesson learned: how to develop good news judgement. (more)